Surgical instrument for hemorrhoids.



No. 755,921. 7 PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904. J. W. O'NEILL.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FOR ,HEMORRHOIDS.

' APPLIGATIQN FILED JULY '21. 1909.

N0 MODEL.

Patented. March 29, 1904.

JOHN W. ONEILL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

I SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FOR HEMORRHOIDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,921, dated March29, 1904. Application filed July 21, 1903. Serial No. 166,443. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. ONEILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Surgical Instruments forHemorrhoids, of which the following is a specification.

In the removal of hemorrhoids it is customary to employ an instrument ofthe general construction of ordinary forceps, with the distal parts,which constitute the clamping-jaws, serrated and preferably curved andwith some form of locking device on the handles to hold them in theircompressed position and a spring to separate them when released; In usethe membrane is clamped below the affected part, the latter cut awayalong the upper face of the clamping-jaws, the edges of the woundcauterized, and the instrument removed. With the instruments for thispurpose as heretofore constructed it has been contemplated that thecompression of the membrane between the serrated jaws would cause anadequate cohesion of the parts during the healing process without theaid. of sutures. Experience has demonstrated, however, that the union bycompression alone cannot be relied on, the parts often separating andcausing ulceration of the wound. Another defect of the instrumentsheretofore employed has manifested itself in the cauterizing operation.Considerable pressure upon" the cauterizingpoint is required in thisoperation, and it frequently happens that the point slips laterally fromthe jaws against the healthy membrane, producing a burn.

The object of my invention is to overcome the above defects.

The following is a detailed description of my improved instrument,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa plan view of the device; Fig. .2, an elevation of the same; Fig. 3, anenlarged perspective view of one of the jaws, and Fig. 4 a cross-sectionof the jaws on the line 4 of Fig. 1.

The instrument comprises the usual parts pivoted together, as shown ata, the proximal portions forming the handles A and the distal portionsforming the jaws B, which latter are preferably curved, as shown in Fig.2, and serrated on their clamping-surfaces, as shown at t. The handlesare provided with a locking device s, which is so familiar as to requireno particular description, and also with a spring 7', tending toseparate them, and thus hold the jaws normally open. All the foregoingparts are old, and those which are about to be described constitute myimprovements.

These consist in the form which I prefer to employ in the longitudinalflanges 9, projecting from the jaws B along their upper faces adjacentto the clamping edges, thereby forming a median longitudinal groove mabove those edges when the parts are in clamping en; 5 gagement andhaving the transverse slots 10 v formed at intervals to permit theintroduction of sutures. It is desirable to employ a spur 0 on oneof thejaws B at its rear end, entering a recess in the other jaw, the purposeof 7 which is to prevent slipping of the membrane under the initialpressure of the jaws. This feature is also old.

It is preferable to have the tops of the flanges g beveled, as shown atn, and to flare the 7 5 top of the longitudinal channel m, especially ifthe flanges q are very close to the clampingedgesf It is also preferableto have the slots 10 formed in the manner shown in the drawingsthat isto say, with a cylindrical base- 30 opening for the needle to passthrough and a notch leading from it, through which the thread passeswhen the instrument is removed.

It will be observed that the jaws B of my instrument, as illustrated,are of considerable 5 breadth, and this is the construction that Iprefer for the distending eifect. In the matter of my broader claimswhich follow, however, I do not wish to limit myself to any particularform in the matter of details, preferred 9 or otherwise, since I believethe provision of transverse slots in the instrument for the introductionof sutures to be new, as well as the provision of an offset or shoulderabove the clamping-surface of each jaw, forming a median longitudinalchannel when the jaws are in clamping engagement to prevent lateraldisplacement of the cauterizing-polnt. Hence the specific form of theinstrument.

may be varied without departing from my 1 .0

invention, provided it embodies either or both of these features.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

l. The combination in a surgical instrument of pivoted memberscomprising compressionhandles and serrated clamping-jaws, said jawsbeing provided at intervals with slots in their upper faces at rightangles to the planes of the clamping-surfaces for the introduction ofsutures, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a surgical instrument of pivoted memberscomprising compressionhandles and clamping-jaws, each of said jaws beingprovided at intervals with slots in its upper face at right angles tothe plane of the clamping-surface for the introduction of sutures, andeach having an offset above the clamping-surface, whereby when the jawsare in clamping engagement a median longitudinal channel is formed toprevent lateral displacement of the eauterizing-point, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination in a surgical instrument of pivoted members, eachcomprising a handle A and jaw B, a spring operating to hold the handlesand jaws normally apart and a catch for locking the members in clampingposition, said jaws B being provided at intervals with slots in theirupper faces at right angles to the planes of the clamping-surfaces forthe introduction of sutures, substantially as described.

4:. The combination in a surgical instrument of pivoted members, eachcomprising a handle A and jaw B, a spring operating to hold the handlesand jaws normally apart, and a catch for locking the members in clampingposition,

said jaws being provided at intervals with slots in their upper faces atright angles to the planes of the clamping-surfaces for the introductionof sutures, and, when in clamping engagement with a median longitudinalchannel along the same face, substantially as described.

5. The combination in a surgical instrument of pivoted memberscomprising compressionhandles and clamping-jaws, each of said jawshaving a flange 1; along its upper face adjacent to its clamping-faceprovided at intervals with transverse slots, whereby provision is madefor the introduction of sutures, and whereby a median longitudinalchannel is formed, when the parts are in clamping engagement, to preventlateral displacement of the cauterizing-point, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination in asurgical instrument of pivoted members comprisingcompressionhandles and clamping-jaws, each of said jaws having a flangeg along its upper face adjacent to the serrations, provided at intervalswith transverse slots and having its top beveled inward as shown at n,whereby provision is made for the introduction of sutures, and whereby aflaring median longitudinal channel is formed when the parts are inclamping engagement, to prevent lateral displacement of thecauterizing-point, substantially as described.

JOHN W. ONEILL.

In presence of L. HEISLAR, M. S. MACKENZIE.

